The Birds of the Air

"You can't worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you'll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can't worship God and Money both.

"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

"Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." (Matthew 6:24-34, The Message)

I rediscovered this passage earlier this week after what I perceived to be a pretty amazing discovery in our back yard. I was outside, helping Scott with something, when I kept hearing this "taptaptaptap...........taptaptaptaptaptap............taptaptaptaptaptap," over and over again. Determined to find out what it was, I wandered around to the back of the house, quietly, since I didn't know yet what I would find there, and started looking around.

Left....right.....up.......down.......left......right.....up.......down.....wait a second...... Then I saw it. A tiny little bird, up on this dead tree limb. "What's he doing?" I wondered. Undisturbed by my presence, he continued.

taptaptaptaptaptap.........taptaptaptaptaptaptap.......taptaptaptaptap

You've probably already figured it out. This tiny little bird was pecking away at the limb, creating holes big enough for him and several other birds to climb into.

Now, I don't know if he was some variety of woodpecker, looking for food (he didn't really look like a woodpecker) or if he was steadily chipping away at this branch to make a nest for his family, but I was moved. I'd never seen anything like that in my own backyard, and I was excited that this little bird had found something he liked here.

I told Scott about it, he checked it out, and we were both pretty mesmerized watching this little bird for awhile. Soon, though, Scott got back to work, the batteries on my camera died (stupid things) , and we went inside. From time to time that day, I thought about the little bird and wondered if he was still out there. I'd check on him and sure enough, there he was, tapping away.

I still didn't give it much more thought, though, until the next day, when a virtual monsoon came through our area. Rain, wind, tornado warnings.....you name it, we had it. I thought, in the middle of the storm, about that little bird, and how he was probably nestled safely in his new little home. I had my house to protect me from the weather, and he had his.

It all just amazed me, you know? Where Scott and I saw a dead tree limb, this little bird saw potential. We probably would have cut that limb down because we thought it was dead and had no use, but the little bird showed me otherwise.

So I got to thinking. That little bird was working away so hard less than 24 hours before the storm of all storms came. Like a little Noah, he worked and worked to get ready for what he thought might be coming. He didn't create that home, though - God provided it. So then I thought some more.....and thought that if God would care enough to make sure that little bird had a shelter from the storm, wouldn't He also take care of me? He gave His life for me. He'll take care of me. He said that He would, and He has never backed down on His promises before, so I shouldn't be worrying about anything. Thinking of the scripture that seemed quite pertinent to this situation, I read Matthew 6 in my NIV. Something told me to read it in The Message, though, so turning once again to trusty BibleGateway.com, I checked it out. Tears literally filled my eyes as I read that interpretation. The words went straight into my heart.

The message I got was this: Stop striving. Stop trying so hard. Stop trying to be so perfect, so stylish, so beautiful through your own efforts. Stop comparing yourself to everyone else. Stop paying so much attention to stuff that's so shallow and meaningless. "Pay attention to ME," God seemed to say. "I'm taking care of you, and I think you're wonderful and beautiful just like you are. I made you that way. Stop trying to be something else." I matter to God. That's all I need to know, because He thinks the world of me. He's taking special care of me, and I'm going to be okay. There's nothing to worry about, because I know in whose hands I rest.